CHINA-AFGHANISTAN RELATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000146

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2029
TAGS: PREL KSCA PTER SNAR ETRD PK IN AF CH
SUBJECT: CHINA-AFGHANISTAN RELATIONS

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Aubrey Carlson,
reasons 1.4 (b/d).

Summary
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1. (C) Afghan Embassy First Secretary Meerwais Nab told
PolOffs January 14 that China and Afghanistan have good
bilateral relations, but he noted Chinese concerns, including
the presence of U.S. forces near the Sino-Afghan border,
India's influence in Afghanistan, "elements" in Afghanistan
assisting ETIM and other groups operating in lawless areas,
and the lack of a common Afghanistan strategy among coalition
partners. PRC MFA officials probed visiting Canadian
officials about possible changes in U.S. counterinsurgency
strategy in the new administration, the prospects and
approaches for reconciliation and whether Saudi Arabia has a
role to play in Afghanistan. The Canadian officials reported
that MFA officials told them China has no plans to send
security or protective details to Afghanistan. END SUMMARY.

Lunch with the Allies
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2. (C) On January 14, PolOffs attended a Canadian
Embassy-hosted lunch on Afghanistan in connection with the
January 12-15 visit to Beijing of Canadian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Afghanistan Task Force Policy and Advocacy
Division Regional Policy Advisor James Gilmour and Deputy
Division Director Christopher Gibbins. The objective of the
Canadian delegation's visit was to exchange views with the
MFA on Afghanistan and Pakistan and urge greater Chinese
involvement in Afghanistan's reconstruction and in regional
efforts to promote peace and stability. Representatives from
the Afghan, Australian, Dutch, French, German, Italian and
Turkish Embassies attended.


3. (C) Noting that the MFA presented a "bleak but thin"
overview of the situation in Afghanistan, the Canadian Task
Force members said they emphasized to the Chinese the
terrorist links between Al-Qaeda, Pakistan and Afghanistan
and pushed the Chinese to take a greater role in Afghanistan,
including addressing the counter-terrorism situation in the
region and helping Afghanistan "develop a political culture."
The Canadians said the Chinese showed interest in
developments surrounding the Afghan elections.

China Echoes Pakistani Concerns on Afghanistan
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4. (C) Chinese officials reiterated Pakistan's concerns on
Afghanistan to the Canadians, including suspicions about
Indian intentions in Afghanistan and concerns about
inadequate Pashtun representation in Afghan governance
institutions. In particular, Pakistan is concerned that,
through India's consulates in Afghanistan's south and
southeast, India is possibly trying to destabilize Pakistan's
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Afghan diplomat
Nab commented that because of close Sino-Pakistani ties,
China has been sensitive to India's influence in Afghanistan.

Chinese Interests and Concerns in Afghanistan
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5. (C) The Canadians reported that PRC MFA officials probed
them regarding possible changes in U.S. counterinsurgency
strategy in the new administration. In addition, the Chinese
asked about the prospects for and possible approaches to
reconciliation with the Taliban, and whether Saudi Arabia has
a role to play in Afghanistan.


6. (C) Afghan diplomat Nab said Chinese officials have
expressed concern about the presence of U.S. forces near the
Sino-Afghan border (China's "backyard") and in particular,
near the sensitive area of China's Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous
Region. Nab mentioned that there is currently an
Afghan-China-NATO security mechanism based in Kabul with the
aim of providing security to Chinese citizens working on
construction projects in the country, but Sino-NATO
engagement is generally low. Separately, the Canadians said
Chinese MFA officials acknowledged ISAF's "positive" role in
providing security in Afghanistan and that MFA officials told
them China has no plans to send security or protective
details for Chinese workers to Afghanistan.

No Common International Strategy, and ETIM Concerns
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7. (C) Nab stated that the PRC worries about a lack of a
common strategy among coalition partners and ignorance of the
situation on the ground and noted Chinese anxiety about
"elements" in Afghanistan assisting ETIM (the East Turkestan
Independence Movement, a terrorist organization active in
Xinjiang) and other groups operating in "lawless areas."

Sino-Afghan Relations
--------------


8. (C) Nab provided an overview of Sino-Afghan relations,
underscoring the steady development of the relationship over
the past seven years. Noting "no major bilateral issues"
between the two countries, Nab said Afghanistan desires
closer engagement with China and believes that China has the
capability to do much more, especially in the areas of
capacity building and infrastructure. Nab said engagement
with China should be in close coordination with other donor
countries.


9. (C) Nab cited increased bilateral trade figures, with a
total volume of 870 million U.S. dollars in 2008 (composed
almost entirely of Chinese exports). China has pledged 150
million U.S. dollars in aid to Afghanistan, half of which
will be provided through concessional loans.

NATO and SCO Engagement
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10. (C) Discussing the role of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO),Chinese officials told the Canadians that
they had hoped the SCO would have been more active in
promoting stability in Afghanistan, but the organization has
yet to take an active role. Afghan diplomat Nab noted SCO's
difficulty in addressing counter-narcotics issues in
Afghanistan strategically because narcotics production and
trafficking do not fit neatly into one of the "Three Evils"
of terrorism, extremism and separatism that the SCO has
pledged to counter. He commented, too, that Afghan
approaches to the SCO for possible security assistance have
been fruitless.
Randt